WO2016206378A1

WO2016206378A1 - Flexible capacity extending method, device and system

Info

Publication number: WO2016206378A1
Application number: PCT/CN2016/072170
Authority: WO
Inventors: 何谦; 刘冉; 张龙刚
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2015-06-23
Filing date: 2016-01-26
Publication date: 2016-12-29
Also published as: CN106302210A

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a flexible capacity extending method, device and system, the flexible capacity extending method comprising: establishing, by a virtual network functional manager (VNFM), a resource buffer pool, wherein a virtual resource needed for loading a service is stored in the resource buffer pool; performing, by the VNFM, an initial configuration on the virtual resource; and when capacity extension is needed, notifying, by the VNFM, a virtual network function (VNF) device to load the service on the virtual resource.

Description

Elastic expansion method, device and system

Technical field

This application relates to, but is not limited to, the field of cloud computing.

Background technique

Cloud Computing is Grid Computing, Distributed Computing, Parallel Computing, Utility Computing Network Storage Technologies, Virtualization, The integration of traditional computer technology and network technology such as load balancing (Load Balance). It aims to integrate multiple relatively low-cost computing entities into a system with powerful computing power through the network.

NFV (Network Function Virtualization) is one of the areas of cloud computing. It transforms the telecommunication services originally running on proprietary hardware devices into running in cloud computing data centers, and these services can be based on current Business needs, flexibility to increase or reduce the use of virtualized resources, namely elastic expansion and elastic contraction.

Summary of the invention

The following is an overview of the topics detailed in this document. This Summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

In the related technologies, the flexible expansion is usually started after the elastic expansion policy conditions are triggered, such as the creation of virtual machines and cloud disks. After the virtual resources are created, the resources are virtualized. On-line preparation, such as starting a virtual machine, installing a business application version, software configuration, etc., and finally loading the business on the newly created virtualized resource after these preparations are completed. This method is a time-consuming operation for creating resources, starting a virtual machine, and installing a service application version. The problem is that the elastic expansion takes a long time to complete, and the traffic bursts in a sudden situation. It is easy to cause business congestion or even business interruption.

This paper provides an elastic expansion method, device and system to solve at least the problem of long elastic expansion time in the related art.

An elastic expansion method includes:

The virtualized network function manager (VNFM) creates a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores virtual resources required for loading services; the VNFM initializes and configures the virtual resources; In the case that capacity expansion is required, the VNFM notifies a Virtualised Network Function (VNF) device to load a service on the virtual resource.

Optionally, the VNFM performs initial configuration on the virtual resource, including at least one of: the VNFM configures a parameter of the virtual resource; the VNFM installs a service version on the virtual resource; The VNFM formats the storage resource in the virtual resource; the VNFM partitions the storage resource in the virtual resource.

Optionally, the VNFM creates a resource buffer pool, including: the VNFM invokes a Virtualised Infrastructure Manager (VIM) to create a resource buffer pool.

Optionally, after the initial configuration of the virtual resource by the VNFM, the method further includes: the VNFM suspending, sleeping, or shutting down the virtual resource; if the capacity is required to be expanded, the VNFM is to perform the virtual The resource is restored to a working state.

Optionally, the VNFM suspends, sleeps, or shuts down the virtual resource, including: the VNFM suspends, sleeps, or shuts down the virtual resource by using the VIM; the VNFM restores the virtual resource to The working state includes: the VNFM restores the virtual resource to a working state by using the VIM.

Optionally, before the VNFM creates the resource buffer pool, the method further includes: the VNFM applying to the Network Functions Virtualization Orchestrator (NFVO) for the authorization to create a resource and/or the size of the created resource.

An elastic expansion device is disposed on the VNFM, the device comprising:

The capacity expansion processing module is configured to: create a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores a virtual resource required for loading a service; and a configuration module, configured to: initialize the virtual resource; and configure a VNF device interface module, Set to: notify VNF if capacity expansion is required. The device loads the service on the virtual resource.

Optionally, the configuration module includes at least one of the following:

a parameter configuration unit, configured to: configure a parameter of the virtual resource; a service installation unit, configured to: install a service version on the virtual resource; and format a unit, set to: a storage resource in the virtual resource Formatting; partitioning unit, configured to: partition storage resources in the virtual resource.

Optionally, the capacity expansion processing module includes: a first calling unit, configured to: invoke the VIM to create a resource buffer pool.

Optionally, the capacity expansion processing module is further configured to suspend, sleep, or shut down the virtual resource after the configuration module initializes the virtual resource; if the capacity expansion is required, the The virtual resource is restored to a working state.

Optionally, the capacity expansion processing module includes: a second calling unit, configured to: suspend, sleep, shut down, or restore the virtual resource to a working state by using the VIM.

Optionally, the apparatus further includes: an NFVO interface module, configured to: request an authorization of the NFVO to create a resource and/or create a size of the resource.

An elastic expansion system comprising:

The virtualized network function manager VNFM is configured to: create a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores a virtual resource required for loading a service, and the VNFM is further configured to: initialize the virtual resource; If the capacity is to be expanded, the virtualized network function VNF device is notified; the virtualized network function VNF device is configured to: load the service on the virtual resource according to the notification of the VNFM.

Optionally, the system further includes at least one of the following:

The virtualized infrastructure manager VIM is configured to: create a resource buffer pool according to the calling command of the VNFM, wherein the resource buffer pool stores a virtual resource required for loading a service, and the VIM is further set to: The virtual resource is suspended, hibernated, shut down, or restored to a working state;

The network function virtualization coordinator NFVO is configured to: query the VIM for resource information according to the VNFM application, and return a resource creation resource to the VNFM according to the resource information. Authorization results and/or size results for creating resources.

A computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for performing the method of any of the above.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the VNFM creates a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores the virtual resources required for loading the service, and the VNFM initializes the virtual resource, and the VNFM notifies the VNF device if the capacity needs to be expanded. Load the business on this virtual resource. The length of the elastic expansion in the NFV system is reduced, and the problem of business congestion or even business interruption caused by a sudden surge in traffic is avoided to some extent.

Other aspects will be apparent upon reading and understanding the drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF abstract

1 is a flow chart 1 of an elastic expansion method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a flowchart of elastic expansion of virtual machine resources according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of elastic expansion of resources through a cloud disk according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

4 is a second flowchart of an elastic expansion method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a block diagram 1 of an elastic expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6 is a block diagram 2 of an elastic expansion device according to an embodiment of the invention;

7 is a block diagram 3 of an elastic expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic structural diagram of an elastic expansion system according to an embodiment of the invention.

Embodiments of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings in conjunction with the embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments may be combined with each other without conflict.

The embodiment of the present invention provides an elastic expansion method. FIG. 1 is a flowchart 1 of an elastic expansion method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 , the method includes:

S102. The VNFM creates a resource buffer pool, where the resource buffer pool stores virtual resources required for loading services.

S104. The VNFM initializes the configuration of the virtual resource.

S106: The VNFM notifies the VNF device to load a service on the virtual resource if the capacity is required to be expanded.

The number of virtual resources in the resource buffer pool may be multiple, and the number of resource buffer pools may be multiple, that is, the creation process may be multiple times.

The following takes the application scenarios of the virtual resources and the virtual disk as an example.

Example one

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a flexible expansion of a virtual machine resource according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the steps of creating a virtual machine and performing elastic expansion may include:

S202: The VNFM creates virtual machine resources required for elastic expansion for one or more times according to the size of the buffer pool resource in the configuration file.

S204: The VNFM initializes the created virtual machine, for example, configuring parameters of the virtual machine, installing a service software version on the virtual machine, starting a virtual machine, etc.; the initialization work does not need to be completed at the same time, and only the Some of the work is done, for example, parameter configuration can be performed without installing business software.

S206. The VNFM suspends the initialized virtual machine, that is, stores the data in the virtual machine memory into the memory file of the hard disk, and then closes the virtual machine to release the virtual memory and the CPU; the suspending operation is performed in order to The above-mentioned suspending operation may also be a method of sleeping, shutting down, etc., without minimizing the waste of computing resources and memory resources on the basis of the technical effects of the embodiments of the present invention.

S208: The VNFM puts the suspended virtual machine into the elastic expansion resource buffer pool and waits for the elastic expansion call.

On the S210, when the elastic expansion is required, the VNFM removes the required virtual machine from the elastic capacity pool and performs a recovery operation on the virtual machine, that is, the memory file in the hard disk is read into the memory, and the virtual machine is quickly restored. To the state before the suspension.

S212. The VNFM notifies the control module in the VNF to enable the virtual machine, and load and run the service on the virtual machine.

The VNFM can repeat the above-mentioned S202-S208 creation process. The number of virtual machines used in the elastic expansion is created, and the same number of virtual machines are created and put into the elastic expansion resource buffer pool.

Example two

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the flexible expansion of the cloud disk resource according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the steps of creating a cloud disk and performing elastic expansion may include:

On S302, the VNFM creates the cloud disk resource required for elastic expansion for one or more times according to the size of the buffer pool in the configuration file.

S304: The VNFM initializes the created cloud hard disk, such as partitioning and formatting the cloud hard disk; the initialization work does not need to be completed at the same time, and only some of the work may be performed, for example, only formatting may be performed. Without partitioning.

S306: The VNFM performs a sleep operation on the initialized cloud hard disk, and performs a sleep operation to minimize the waste of computing resources and memory resources on the basis of not affecting the technical effects of the embodiments of the present invention, and may of course not perform a sleep operation.

On S308, the VNFM puts the dormant cloud disk into the elastic capacity pool and waits for the elastic expansion call.

On the S310, the VNFM removes the required cloud disk from the elastic capacity pool and performs recovery operations on the cloud disk.

S312: The VNFM notifies the control module in the VNF to enable the cloud hard disk, and load and run the service on the cloud hard disk.

The VNFM can repeat the creation process of the above S302-S308 to create the elastic expansion. How many cloud disks are used, create the same number of cloud disks, and put them into the elastic capacity pool.

In one embodiment of the invention, the VNFM requests the network function virtualization coordinator NFVO to request the creation of a resource and/or the size of the created resource before the VNFM creates the resource buffer pool.

FIG. 4 is a second flowchart of an elastic expansion method according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the method may include the following steps:

S402: The VNFM sends an application for creating a resource to the NFVO, where the requested message body may include the total number of resources required for the elastic expansion resource buffer pool, and the application for the authorization application and the resource size may be separately performed; of course, if the resource is created in the configuration. The default authorization and default size do not need to be applied.

S404, the NFVO queries the VIM for resources according to the VNFM application request, and reserves corresponding resources.

S406. The NFVO returns the result of creating the resource authorization to the VNFM and the size of the created resource.

S408: The VNFM initiates a resource creation command to the VIM side, and starts to create virtual resources such as a virtual machine, a cloud hard disk, and a port.

S410. The VIM returns a resource creation result to the VNFM.

S412. After the virtual resource preparation is completed, the VNFM performs an initial operation on the virtual resource, including configuring parameters of the virtual resource, installing a service version on the virtual resource, formatting the virtual resource, and partitioning the virtual resource.

S414. The VNFM suspends, sleeps, or shuts down the created virtual machine through VIM.

S416. The VNFM puts all the prepared virtual resources into the elastic expansion resource pool.

In S418, the VNFM takes the virtual resource from the elastic expansion resource buffer pool and restores the virtual machine in the virtual resource through VIM.

S420: The VNFM notifies the VNF to load the service on the newly added resource.

S422, the VNFM is notified after the VNF loading service is completed.

S424, the VNFM repeats the step of creating the elastic buffer pool, and supplements the virtual pool. The number of resources.

The embodiment of the present invention further provides an elastic expansion device, which is disposed on the VNFM. FIG. 5 is a structural block diagram of an elastic expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the device includes: a capacity expansion processing module 502, which is configured. To create a resource buffer pool, where the resource pool is stored with the virtual resources required for loading the service; the configuration module 504 initializes the virtual resource; the VNF device interface module 506 is configured to: if the capacity needs to be expanded Notifying the VNF device to load the service on the virtual resource.

The number of virtual resources in the resource buffer pool may be multiple, that is, the creation process may be multiple times.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the capacity expansion processing module 502 creates a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores the virtual resources required for loading the service, and the configuration module 504 initializes and configures the virtual resources in the resource buffer pool. In the case of capacity expansion, the VNF device interface module 506 notifies the VNF device to load the service on the virtual resource. The length of the elastic expansion in the NFV system is reduced, and the problem of business congestion or even business interruption caused by a sudden surge in traffic is avoided to some extent.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram 2 of an elastic expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the configuration module 604 includes: a parameter configuration unit 6002, configured to: perform parameters on a virtual resource. The service installation unit 6004 is configured to: install a service version on the virtual resource; the formatting unit 6006 is configured to: format the storage resource in the virtual resource; the partition unit 6008 is configured to: store the virtual resource The resources are partitioned.

In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 6, the expansion processing module includes: a first invoking unit 6010, configured to: invoke a VIM to create a resource buffer pool; and a second invoking unit 6012, configured to: virtual resources through VIM Suspend, hibernate, shut down, or resume working.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram 3 of an elastic expansion device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, the device further includes: an NFVO interface module 706, configured to: create a resource for the NFVO application. Authorize and/or create the size of the resource.

The embodiment of the present invention further provides an elastic expansion system, including: a virtualized network function manager VNFM, configured to: create a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores loading The virtual resource required for the service, the VNFM is further configured to: initialize the virtual resource; and notify the virtualized network function VNF device if the capacity needs to be expanded; and the virtualized network function VNF device is set as follows: The VNFM notification loads the business on the virtual resource.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an architecture of an elastic expansion system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, the system further includes at least one of the following: a virtualization infrastructure manager VIM, configured to: According to the calling command of the VNFM, create a resource buffer pool, suspend, sleep, shut down, or restore the virtual resource in the resource pool to a working state; the network function virtualization coordinator NFVO is set to: according to the VNFM application, to the VIM Querying the resource information, and returning the authorization result of creating the resource and/or the size result of creating the resource to the VNFM according to the resource information.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all or a portion of the steps of the above-described embodiments can be implemented using a computer program flow, which can be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as on a corresponding hardware platform (eg, The system, device, device, device, etc. are executed, and when executed, include one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.

Alternatively, all or part of the steps of the above embodiments may also be implemented by using an integrated circuit. These steps may be separately fabricated into individual integrated circuit modules, or multiple modules or steps may be fabricated into a single integrated circuit module. achieve.

The devices/function modules/functional units in the above embodiments may be implemented by a general-purpose computing device, which may be centralized on a single computing device or distributed over a network of multiple computing devices.

When the device/function module/functional unit in the above embodiment is implemented in the form of a software function module and sold or used as a stand-alone product, it can be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The above mentioned computer readable storage medium may be a read only memory, a magnetic disk or an optical disk or the like.

Industrial applicability

Through the embodiments of the present invention, the length of the elastic expansion in the NFV system is reduced, and the problem that the traffic suddenly rises and the service congestion or the service is interrupted is avoided to some extent.

Claims

An elastic expansion method includes:

The virtualized network function manager VNFM creates a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores virtual resources required for loading services;

The VNFM performs initial configuration on the virtual resource;

In the case that capacity expansion is required, the VNFM notifies the virtualized network function that the VNF device loads the service on the virtual resource.
The method of claim 1, wherein the VNFM performs initial configuration on the virtual resource, including at least one of the following:

The VNFM configures parameters of the virtual resource;

The VNFM installs a service version on the virtual resource;

The VNFM formats a storage resource in the virtual resource;

The VNFM partitions storage resources in the virtual resource.
The method of claim 1, wherein the VNFM creates a resource buffer pool, comprising:

The VNFM invokes the Virtualization Infrastructure Manager VIM to create a resource buffer pool.
The method of claim 1, after the initial configuration of the virtual resource by the VNFM, further comprising:

The VNFM suspends, sleeps, or shuts down the virtual resource;

In the case that capacity expansion is required, the VNFM restores the virtual resource to a working state.
The method of claim 4, wherein

Suspending, sleeping, or shutting down the virtual resource by the VNFM, including: the VNFM suspending, sleeping, or shutting down the virtual resource by using the VIM;

The VNFM restores the virtual resource to an active state, including: the VNFM restores the virtual resource to an active state by using the VIM.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the VNFM creation resource Before the source buffer pool, it also includes:

The VNFM applies to the Network Function Virtualization Coordinator NFVO for the authorization to create a resource and/or the size of the created resource.
An elastic expansion device is disposed on the VNFM, the device comprising:

The capacity expansion processing module is configured to: create a resource buffer pool, where the resource buffer pool stores virtual resources required for loading a service;

The configuration module is configured to: initialize the virtual resource;

The VNF device interface module is configured to notify the VNF device to load a service on the virtual resource if capacity expansion is required.
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the configuration module comprises at least one of the following:

a parameter configuration unit, configured to: configure parameters of the virtual resource;

a service installation unit, configured to: install a service version on the virtual resource;

a formatting unit, configured to: format a storage resource in the virtual resource;

a partition unit, configured to: partition a storage resource in the virtual resource.
The device according to claim 7, wherein the capacity expansion processing module comprises:

The first calling unit is configured to: invoke the VIM to create a resource buffer pool.
The device according to claim 7, wherein the capacity expansion processing module is further configured to

After the configuration module initializes the virtual resource, suspending, sleeping, or shutting down the virtual resource;

The virtual resource is restored to a working state if capacity expansion is required.
The device according to claim 10, wherein the expansion processing module comprises:

The second calling unit is configured to suspend, hibernate, shut down, or restore the virtual resource to a working state by using the VIM.
The device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, further comprising:

An NFVO interface module, configured to: authorize and/or create a resource for the NFVO request The size of the resource.
An elastic expansion system comprising:

The virtualized network function manager VNFM is configured to: create a resource buffer pool, wherein the resource buffer pool stores a virtual resource required for loading a service, and the VNFM is further configured to: initialize the configuration of the virtual resource; Notifying the virtualized network function VNF device if capacity expansion is required;

The virtualized network function VNF device is configured to: load a service on the virtual resource according to the notification of the VNFM.
The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one of the following:

The virtualized infrastructure manager VIM is configured to: create a resource buffer pool according to the calling command of the VNFM, wherein the resource buffer pool stores a virtual resource required for loading a service, and the VIM is further set to: The virtual resource is suspended, hibernated, shut down, or restored to a working state;

The network function virtualization coordinator NFVO is configured to: query the resource information from the VIM according to the application of the VNFM, and return an authorization result of creating a resource and/or a size result of creating a resource to the VNFM according to the resource information. .
A computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for performing the method of any of claims 1-6.